


Conversations

by SecretSingerOfAll



Series: Moments (In Between) [2]
Category: DCU, Nightwing (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Conversations, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 01:31:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18201671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretSingerOfAll/pseuds/SecretSingerOfAll
Summary: Dick talks to Artemis.





	Conversations

Dick walks in slowly, hesitantly. He’s not even sure why he’s here, now that he’s made it. He’s probably just being a nuisance.

 

“You’re… moving,” he says, noting the boxes everywhere. Artemis nods.

 

“Wasn’t doing me any good staying here,” she says. “Too many… too many memories. I’m actually moving in with Will.”

 

“Will?”

 

Artemis sighs.

 

“Right, you’ve been out of the loop for a bit,” she says, “Roy, our Roy, wanted to separate himself from the original. He goes by Will, now.”

 

Dick nods.

 

“Ah.”

 

“Do you… want to sit down?” Artemis asks, the tension in the air palpable. Dick nods, walking to the couch and immediately curling in on himself.

 

“I… I wanted to thank you,” he says. “I was… kind of spiraling, just a bit.”

 

Artemis snorts.

 

“A bit?”

 

Dick sighs.

 

“Okay, fine,” he says. “I was spiraling a lot, I… I just. I- I was the one who pulled you both out of retirement, and everyone was angry at me, and I just… I couldn’t deal with it. I’m sorry. I wasn’t there for you, wasn’t helping anyone; I was falling apart until I didn’t know how to get back up.”

 

“Dick…”

 

Dick flinches when she touches him, though he’s not sure if it’s more from disgust at himself or just instinctual fear compounded by months of no contact with anyone but criminals. Probably both. He forces himself not to react when Artemis sits down next to him.

 

“I killed someone,” he murmurs, voice on the verge of breaking. He feels Artemis jerk in surprise. “She… we… it was never gonna stop. I let her…”

 

He trails off. He knows what happened. He doesn’t want to say it, but he knows. Artemis will fill in half of it, and he doesn’t want to… to even think about the rest.

 

_ “Don’t… touch me, I’m… poisonous, numb… killed him, we  _ **_killed_ ** _ …” _

 

Dick barely suppressed a shudder at the sudden flash of memory.

 

“That’s when I knew I could never come back,” he says. “We don’t kill. Not… most heroes don’t, but B…”

 

Artemis’ hand returns to his shoulder, and this time Dick doesn’t flinch, but instead leans in, just a bit.

 

“Dick…” she says. “What happened? You don’t have to answer. Can you answer?”

 

Dick shakes his head. He doesn’t think he has any words left in him. He’s already said more than he thought he could say.

 

Another time. Maybe. Eventually.

 

He’s actually the most well adjusted Bat, you know. Well, the most well adjusted in Bruce’s family.

 

(Babs doesn’t count. He used to think “not  _ yet _ ,” but not anymore. He wasn’t there for her, and he doesn’t really stand any chances. Not now.)

 

They stay there, silent, for what feels like forever. Dick used to be good at filling uncomfortable silent space with chatter, but…

 

Well, he used to be a lot of things.

 

But, eventually, the silence is broken by the familiar beeping of a comm.

 

“Work?”

 

Artemis looks down at the name.

 

“Seems like it,” she says. “I got to go.”

 

Dick sighs, nodding.

 

“I know,” he says. “I should go, too. I’ll… come by again soon? Maybe… do something less dark and depressing.”

 

Artemis laughs.

 

“Sounds good to me,” she says. “Same number? I’ll call you when I know I have time.”

 

Dick nods, seemingly effortlessly getting up from the couch. He doesn’t need Artemis worrying over a few bruises.

 

“Sure,” he says. “I’ll… I’ll be waiting.”

 

Artemis sees through him, obviously, but she doesn’t call him on it, which is almost as good.

 

“Okay,” she says.

 

“Bye, Artemis.”

 

“Goodbye…”

 

Artemis trails off, but doesn’t say any more. Dick’s glad.

 

And he’s definitely half fleeing as he leaves.

 

(But it feels like a weight lifted that he even came.)


End file.
